In Search for Kindred Spirit
by Seamok
Summary: Based on the 2013 game. After the ordeal at Yamatai, the survivors reflect on mortality as they come to understand what it is that truly matters the most. (Complete)
1. Chapter 1: The Sorrow of Regret

Disclaimer: Tomb Raider belongs to Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics. I make no profit by writing this fiction. All ideas in this story are my own; similarities with other fictions are purely coincidental. And also, English is not my native language.

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**In Search for Kindred Spirit**

Chapter 1: The Sorrow of Regret

Lara took a deep breath, held it, before releasing a long sigh. Steadying herself, she walked up the narrow lane to reach for the small cottage sitting by the cul-de-sac, the moment of her dread coming ever closer with each step taken. The morning breeze of American spring brushed her hair and caressed her skin, as if attempting, yet failing, to sooth the goose bumps brought on by the sense of anxiety.

It seemed to take forever, but once she was face to face with the dark wooden door of the cottage, she hesitated. She wasn't particularly close to its inhabitant, despite their connection via Roth.

Regardless, reconciliation had to start somewhere, and Lara must be the one to initiate it. She owed it to Roth, but most of all, she owed it to the family he had left behind…

Lara lifted her arm, and gave the doorbell a firm press with her thumb.

The single storey cottage itself appeared to be quite modest from the outside. Painted yellow, it contrasted with the surrounding greens of grass, bushes and short trees, all encircled by a short white fence. One of the trees had a swing made of tyre hanging from a branch. The garage itself was left open, filled with mechanical tools so abundant that left little doubt Lara had found the right place.

Her observation stopped when the door finally opened, and behind it stood a tall teenaged girl, with dark young skin and braided brown hair. Her eyes were greyish blue.

_Reyes was right…She does have Roth's eyes…_

"Alisha?" Lara asked, offering a smile.

"…Yeah?" the girl responded, seemingly uncertain.

"My name is Lara," Lara said as she offered Alisha her hand, "I'm a friend of your mum. Is she home?"

Alisha gave her a look. "Mmuuuummm!" She then shouted, walking away, "Someone's here for you!"

Lara stood at the door, waiting, unsure if she had been invited into the house, as Alisha skipped into the hallway, turned a corner and disappeared. It didn't take long for Reyes to show up though.

"Who is it?" The woman asked aloud as she came into Lara's view. As her gaze met Lara's, she stopped in her track, seemingly surprised.

She then made a face, and hurriedly ushered Lara into the courtyard before closing the door behind them.

"What are you doing here?" She frowned.

Lara was slightly taken aback, as she tried to quickly compose herself, "I…I just wanted to see how you're doing…that's all…"

"How are we doing?" Reyes snorted and turned her head, "Lara, you need to get off la-la-land and come back to the real world. Seriously, that's what you wanted to know? That's why you're here?"

For a moment, Lara could find no words.

"I lost all my savings on your stupid expedition, came home with no tressure, and barely even escaped that fucking island with my own damn life. The father of my daughter is dead. I now have to work two jobs to pay my debt and support ourselves. And you want to know how I'm doing? Is this a fucking joke?"

Upon receiving those words, Lara, desperate to mend the bridge with Reyes, immediately took out her cheque book in a split second of bad judgement. She wrote a sum and handed it to a disbelieving Reyes.

"Here, take it, please," Lara stuttered, "I'm sorry for what happened, I truly am…"

Before she knew it, a hand flew across her face. Lara stumbled, her ears ringing and her left cheek burning as she immediately regretted her action.

Reyes was rightly disgusted. "Keep your father's wealth to yourself, girl, and get the fuck out of my face." She gritted her teeth, went back into the cottage, and slammed the door shut.

Lara stood silently, trying to absorb what had just happened, with her hand tenderly rubbing her sore cheek. She had barely even had the chance to explain herself, or say anything constructive to Reyes, or do anything at all. She had been totally helpless, unprepared and undeserving. This trip had been a total waste. If anything, things had gone from bad to worse. Not knowing what else to do, she turned away in defeat, a defeat that had come too quickly and too suddenly.

Her trip back to the hotel was a long one. Traffic in New York was as congested as it could be. Lara had opted to travel with a taxi. With her driver humming away to the music playing on the radio, Lara's mind drifted away.

_It's all my fault…_

Those very same words she had uttered to Roth when they had been first stranded on the island of Yamatai, came floating back on her mind as easily and it was naturally. The adrenalin necessitated by a sheer will to survive on Yamatai had stripped her of any emotional angst. Then, she had been forced to emerge as a fearless warrior, but once the action had worn off and she had had time to reflect, the urge to blame herself for everything that had happened returned, as she once again came face to face to the only truth she knew.

_It's all my fault…_

The death of Roth, the sufferings she had caused Reyes, and Alisha, who would never meet her father…and not just that…there was still Grim, Alex, even Whitman…

Her heart sobbed on the inside. Her eyes though, remained dry. Yamatai had seemingly taken away her ability to cry, at least on the outside, and because of that, the knife sticking in her heart felt ten times worse.

Lara decided to reschedule her next flight. There was no point staying in New York any longer. Much as it pained her, she needed to summon whatever courage left she still had. There was still amendment she had to make in Los Angeles.

The following morning, Lara was sitting on the bench inside the airport terminal, reading a newspaper article on the discovery of Yamatai. Questions were still being asked of what had actually happened there. The world never learnt of the brutal and supernatural truth, because none of the Endurance crew survivors had made any attempt at revealing it upon escaping. Lara herself never cared about publicity or money. She would be content in living a simple, modest life, despite her inheritance. Sam came from one of the richest families in Japan. Jonah shied away from attention, and like Lara, was never one to be tempted by wealth. Reyes of course needed the money that would have been granted through interviews and the like, but above all else, she wanted to shield her daughter away from all the consequences that would have followed suit. Most importantly, perhaps, none of them wanted anything to do with Yamatai ever again, least of all earn fame and wealth from an event that took everyone else's life but their own.

Deep in her thoughts, Lara was taken by surprise when a familiar voice called out her name. She looked up and saw Reyes standing in front of her.

"Want to get some coffee?" The woman asked casually.

Lara was uncertain of why Reyes had come. "How did you…?"

"I called Sam," Reyes waved her hand. "She gave me your flight details."

"I…I see…" Lara, like the day before, struggled with words.

"Took me a while to find you here," Reyes continued, "anyway, let's find a place to sit down and get some drinks."

Upon her insistence, Lara stood up and followed the woman. They came to the closest coffee shop, placed their order, and sat down together on a table. The airport was bustling, but they had managed to pick a secluded spot where the crowd noise was mostly muffled down.

After a moment of awkward silence, during when Lara was fumbling with the food menu and trying her best to avoid Reyes' stare, it was the older woman who broke the silence first.

"I want to apologise about yesterday, Lara." She said, pointing at Lara's bruised cheek, "I shouldn't have…"

"It's okay. Looks worse than it is," Lara tried to put on a smile, nodding, "I deserved it."

"No, I went off at you before you had a chance to speak, I…" Reyes sounded truly remorseful.

"Reyes," Lara cut her off, "It's okay."

This was followed by another extended period of silence, as both their drinks arrived.

Lara took a sip at her tea, composing herself. She had to do it right this time. There would be no more second chance if she messed things up again.

"Listen, Reyes…I know we haven't exactly been best friends, but I wanted you to know, I am really sorry for what happened to Roth…"

Lara waited for Reyes to speak, but when Reyes remained quiet, Lara decided to continue. "Roth took the axe for me. He died protecting me. I regretted it so much, and wished so hard that they had killed me instead, but they didn't, and now I will never forgive myself for being too weak when Roth needed me the most."

"Don't blame yourself, Lara," Reyes spoke solemnly, "No one could've foreseen that. And Roth…you know him…he would've sacrificed himself for any of his crew, not just you…You just happened to be there, that's all."

"But you were right," Lara continued. With Reyes willing to listen, she found herself struggling to contain her emotion. Her heart ached with every word. "You were right, I was green, and inexperienced and a complete fool totally blinded by my own ambition and desire to find Yamatai…I led everyone into the Dragon's Triangle despite knowing its danger…it was all my fault…"

"No…your job was to find Yamatai, and you did. Like Jonah said, it just wasn't what we had expected." Reyes calmly said. "The storm didn't kill our people. The cultists did." She then extended her arm and put in on Lara's shoulder. "And that wasn't your fault. You didn't know there would be murderers and supernatural forces at work on that island."

"But-"

"No but, Lara," Reyes sighed, cutting the young girl off, "You did the hard work on Yamatai. Without you, none of us would've made it out of there alive. For that, I should thank you."

Lara had to work really hard not to start shaking. Amongst the Endurance crew, Reyes had been the person most critical of her, and listening to Reyes' validation of the pain she had forcibly put herself through on Yamatai to get everyone safely off the island was as gratifying as it was redeeming. The question remained though…

"If you aren't blaming me, then why…" Lara asked.

"Why I raged at you yesterday?" Reyes raised her eyebrow, putting down the coffee she was sipping. "Lara, I don't hate you, not personally. I think you are a good person."

Lara listened as Reyes continued.

"I suppose I was too harsh, that's why I wanted to catch you before you leave for L.A., to apologise for what happened. The truth is, Roth treated you like you were his own daughter. I resented that. Every time I see you, I'm reminded of what could've been. The way Roth encouraged you, the way he taught you, even the way he smiled at you and put his arm around your shoulder, they all reminded me that it could've been, and should've been Alisha, not you. I'm jealous. I ain't no saint, and I admit it."

"I'm sorry…" Lara stuttered, slightly surprised by Reyes' honest revelation, "I never intended to…"

"You were always number one in Roth's eyes, Lara. Maybe you don't know it, but you were. I was happy to play second fiddle, but Alisha…" Reyes eyes began to water as her voice choked a little, "Alisha should've been up there…I screwed up…I never told Roth that she was his daughter, and now it's too late."

Lara looked at Reyes. She suddenly looked so old and tired. Amidst her own angst at having lost a father figure in Roth, it had barely crossed her mind that sitting across the table was a woman who had lost so much more with Roth's passing. Her lover, the father of her daughter, sank into the ocean with regrets that could never be righted again…

Lara leaned forward, before a subconscious force led her to put her hand on Reyes'. "Roth loved you, and he would've loved Alisha. What happened to him…was tragic and a great loss to us all…"

Both casted their eyes downwards at the table, and embraced the moment of silence in grief. At times like this, Lara wished she could've been more help and more comfort to her companion, but as her best friend Sam used to never tire of reminding her, she was too often too poor at words.

Reyes, however, seemed to appreciate her gesture.

"Thank you, Lara," She said, dabbing away her eyes and trying to force a smile.

"I know life is hard, I really do," Lara tried to convince the older woman, "If there is anything I can do to help, please just-"

"Lara," Reyes cut her off. "Understand this. I came here to apologise for yesterday, not for charity."

Lara swallowed hard. Reyes had correctly guessed her intention, and it seemed that the prideful woman was not impressed. Nevertheless, she pushed on. "Roth was like a father to me. Like you said, he treated me as if I were his own daughter. In the end, he even gave his life for me. And that is because he and my father were best friends."

Reyes listened attentively, her brows softened as it appeared that she had begun to understand the point Lara had been trying to make.

"Roth did what he did because I am my father's daughter," Lara explained, in the most convincing tone she could muster, "My father would've done the same for Roth's daughter. He would've done everything he could for you and Alisha, except he's dead…and this…" At this point, Lara's voice choked even to her own mild surprise, as she willed herself to finish in a shaky voice, handing the cheque she had written the day before to Reyes, "…this…is all that's left of him…"

For a moment there, memories of her father threatened to flood back to Lara's already exhausted mind, but the young girl shook them off forcibly, watching, as a sympathetic looking Reyes finally took the piece of paper. The older woman's eyes widened in shock as she noticed the sum written on the cheque, "This…Lara I can't accept this…"

"If this could give Alisha the future she deserves, then I can think of no better way to spend it," Lara insisted.

This time, it was Reyes who appeared lost for words, "I…I don't know what to say…after the way I treated you in the past…after what happened yesterday…"

"It doesn't matter," Lara took both Reyes' hands, as she looked into her brown eyes, smiling, "You and Alisha are Roth's family…and that makes you my family too…Family forgive each other…Family help each other…"

At this, Reyes' eyes watered as she pulled Lara into a deep hug, "…I really don't know what else to say, except thank you, Lara…those words meant more to me than you know…thank you…"

Lara kept her eyes closed, as she embraced this moment of tranquillity and peace, warmth in the knowledge that even though not every wrong had been righted, at the very least she had returned a sense of hope to one of Yamatai's worst victims. From now onwards, she would no longer let herself, or anyone else be consumed by the sorrow of regret, not anymore. Grief would not bring back a loved one lost to the tides of the ocean. In its place, there must be forgiveness and redemption, for only then could they emerge from the ashes of Yamatai, with a kinship and a bond stronger than ever before.

_The road to recovery starts now…_


	2. Chapter 2: A Time for Grief

**In Search for Kindred Spirit**

Chapter 2: A Time for Grief

Lara switched her attention between her steering wheel and the GPS monitor on the dash board, driving slowly along the surprisingly quiet road as she did so. It was a very posh neighbourhood, so posh indeed that it almost seemed as if it was trying to make a statement. Big, luxurious estates lined the streets, with their garages and gates littered with exotic sport cars. The streets themselves were decorated by tall palm trees whose leaves fluttered in the wind. Below those trees were lush green grass, the kind of which usually only found in an upmarket golf course. Lara had spent her childhood sheltered by considerable wealth herself, but while her father had taken extra care to maintain a great degree of humility, residents of this suburb appeared intent to showcase their riches.

_Typical Whitman…_Lara thought.

She had decided to rent a car for herself in the city of angels. As she approached her destination, a large, white-walled, brightly painted bungalow nestling on an elevated plateau, Lara put her foot on the brake slowly. The bungalow supposedly had belonged to Dr Whitman, but in front of the gate was parked several trucks. There were about a dozen people carrying furniture and boxes and loading them onto the trucks. They appeared to be removalists.

Lara parked near the driveway and got out of her car. She walked curiously towards the bungalow and then through the gates. No one paid her much attention until she stumbled upon a blonde, slim lady dressed in a white dress. She was slightly taller than Lara and sported a healthily tanned skin. There were signs of aging on her beautiful face though, with wrinkles lining the corner of each sparking green eyes. Lara recognised her as Mrs Whitman.

"H-Hi Mrs Whitman," Lara stuttered, "my name is Lara. You probably don't remember me, but-"

"Lara of course I remember you," Mrs Whitman smiled and held Lara's hands, "How could I forget? Now what brought you to this part of the world, hmm?"

Lara could feel her own face darkened, and Mrs Whitman seemed to have also noticed it, as she continued, "It's about James, isn't it?"

Lara could only nod solemnly.

"He's dead, I take it?" Mrs Whitman asked, her voice trembled slightly, betraying her resignation to a lost hope.

"I'm sorry," Lara replied, watching as the blonde lady tried to compose herself.

"Well…at least I was half expecting it…" Mrs Whitman sighed, "I hadn't heard from him in weeks, which wasn't surprising…but when news of Yamatai broke, and when they found Endurance's shipwreck…I haven't harboured much hope since…"

"We were hit by a storm…It sank our ship. Some of us survived and made it to the island, but the island itself was populated by violent savages…insane murderers…" Lara tried to explain, "Very few of us made it out of there alive. Most of the crew members perished on that island…including Dr Whitman…I'm sorry…"

"I see…" Even though clearly saddened, there were no tears in Mrs Whitman's eyes. She smiled gently, "Thank you…for telling me…I appreciate that. Our ambassador to Japan told me they hadn't found James' body yet…but at least I now no longer have to keep guessing, even though deep down I think I already knew the answer…" She then took a deep breath, before letting out a long sigh. "Come Lara, I'll make you a drink. Perhaps you'd like some tea?"

"Yes please…I'd like that," Lara figured it might be best if she just tagged along. She followed Mrs Whitman indoor to the kitchen.

"I hope you forgive the mess," Mrs Whitman said apologetically, as the pair navigated through various boxes and bags and furniture sprawled across the floor. "As you can see, I'm moving out of here. The house needs to be cleared by next week, and there's a fair bit of stuff to move."

Once they made their drinks and sat down together at the veranda overlooking the estate's neatly trimmed garden, Mrs Whitman continued, "You know…you can try your best at hiding, but sooner or later, the world will catch up with you. Those detectives and special agents on Yamatai will eventually realise that some of the Endurance crews have survived. They will track you down, and then you'll have to tell the world what really happened there."

Lara swallowed hard. It wasn't a prospect that she was looking forward to, however inevitable it might be. "I know…I suppose I'm just trying to avoid it for as long as I possibly can…"

"How's that for irony? A girl who shuns attention survives and becomes the hero, while the man who craves fame above all else dies on the island. James would've given anything to be that hero who lives to tell the tale." When Mrs Whitman said that, there was no poison in her voice, only a sad melancholy accepting of a tragic fate.

"I'm sorry…" Lara offered genuinely.

"You know he used to be very different…James…" Mrs Whitman put on a smile, "When I first met him, he was a romantic man…idealistic and passionate about the things he loved…"

Lara nodded, listening attentively.

Mrs Whitman continued, "We were very much in love, and very happy together. It didn't matter that we were poor…I believed we had everything we needed…" She sighed, "Then one day, James got the breakthrough we would never have dreamed of…he was offered a starring role in a new TV show…we were overjoyed."

Lara remembered being a devoted fan of the TV show herself. She would insist on watching it every night on prime time television much to her roommate Sam's annoyance and despair. She had even started quoting Dr Whitman on the show, until eventually she became the subject of mockery at her school. They used to refer to her as the history nerd. Luckily Sam had stood by her through all that.

"James of course was very enthusiastic. He finally got the chance to share his knowledge and vision with a large audience. The money didn't hurt either." Mrs Whitman continued, "For better or for worse, our lives changed forever since. I soon realised, that fame and fortune could be a deadly combination, for they consumed James. He became obsessed by them, and soon they became the only thing he cared about."

This was followed by a lengthy pause, as Lara reflected on what Mrs Whitman had just said, as well as Dr Whitman's journal she had stumbled upon and read on Yamatai. She cringed on the inside as she remembered how infatuated she had been with Dr Whitman at one stage, so much that as a result she had never dated a boyfriend at school or college. It wasn't until the Endurance expedition that Lara realised just how much of an obnoxious prick Dr Whitman truly were, and his selfish actions after they had been stranded on the island just made her perception of him even worse.

"You probably remember him as a difficult, pompous, self-serving man," Mrs Whitman interrupted Lara's thoughts, "I'm sorry I bored you with the past," She laughed, "I just wanted you to know, that James wasn't always the way he was. He used to be a good man."

"I'm sure he was," Lara said, offering a smile.

"It wasn't even that long ago that I tried…you know…to save him…so to speak…hoping that the James I had fallen in love with was still there somewhere beneath his expensive clothes and carefully groomed hair…" Mrs Whitman continued, letting out a long sigh, "I took the last resort and told him I wanted a divorce…I had hoped that it would bring some sense back to him if he thought he was going to lose the thing that mattered the most…"

Lara once again remembered reading Dr Whitman's journal, and how he had pleaded for his wife not to divorce him.

"Sadly, it didn't turn out the way I had hoped." Mrs Whitman continued, clearly saddened, "He was more worried about the negative impact a divorce would have on his public image. The last email he sent me…he begged me to stay…not out of love, just out of fear for losing his good guy image."

"And you know what hurt the most?" Mrs Whitman choked, by now her eyes were watery red, "He thought he could convince me to stay by promising me more money. He said he would make a fortune by discovering Yamatai, and if I divorced him I wouldn't see a penny of it. That's what he said. And that's when I knew, the James that I loved, died a long, long time ago…"

Mrs Whitman let a tear drop run down her cheek, "So I'm not sad, Lara…I've been grieving for years…I'm not sad…not anymore…"

Lara's vision blurred slightly, as she felt her own eyes watered a bit. She moved closer to Mrs Whitman and hugged her, who forced a smile and hugged back.

"Thank you, Lara," The older woman sobbed, "I'm sorry I lost myself there."

"It's okay," Lara replied quietly, as they let go of each other's embrace, "if there's anything I could do to help, please just let me know…"

Mrs Whitman took a deep breath, and let out a long sigh. Her eyes wandered to the clear blue sky, seemingly in deep thoughts. This was followed by another lengthy silence.

Lara did not know what else to do or say, so she started to observe her surroundings. It was clear that Mrs Whitman's house had been quite lavish, despite the scattered boxes and furniture on the floor waiting to be packed away by the bustling removalists.

"We began to struggle a little after they threatened to cancel James' show," Mrs Whitman explained, "it was a matter of time before we had to move out of this place. I never felt we belonged here anyway."

Lara turned to look at Mrs Whitman, who seemingly noticed the concern on the young girl's face. She laughed softly, "Oh don't worry. I've got enough savings. I'll manage."

Lara nodded, offering a smile.

"Tell me what happened to James…exactly…" Mrs Whitman suddenly said, her face turning solemn as she did so. She trembled slightly, seemingly afraid, yet remaining very resolved as she fixed her eyes on Lara's.

Lara hesitated upon hearing Mrs Whitman's request. A request which seemed reasonable, yet posed a more difficult task than it should have been. She tried to think hard about what to say. Dr Whitman had not exactly covered himself in heroic light on Yamatai. In fact, his greed and cowardly actions would have brought shame and perhaps even guilt to anyone closely associated, especially to a currently fragile minded Mrs Whitman.

"Please…" Mrs Whitman pleaded, "You asked what you could do to help…this is my only request...I just want to know what happened to James…that's all…I need a closure before I can move on…"

Lara simply did not have the heart.

"After the storm wrecked the Endurance, our crew were scattered on the island," she began to explain, "We soon realised that we were not alone, that there had been other survivors before us, who had grouped together and turned into a cult of violent savages and insane murderers. They tried to kill us and take our supplies. Most of our crew were captured and shot."

Mrs Whitman listened attentively, as Lara continued, opting to leave out the supernatural element, "Those of us who managed to escape, including Dr Whitman, were forced to fight back using the weapons we had stolen from the savages. In the end, we managed to repair a boat and escaped the island with it. Unfortunately, only four of us made it that far. Dr Whitman himself…"

Lara trailed off as she looked at the hopeful Mrs Whitman. At this stage, the concern and grief were evident on the older woman's face, but beneath it all, and above all else…there was love…a love that had survived despite all that she had claimed and everything that had happened…

There was only one thing Lara could say. "He sacrificed himself when he tried to distract some guards so the rest of us could cross a bridge safely. He was the last of us who perished on the island. It was just right before the end…right before we escaped…I'm terribly sorry…"

Mrs Whitman's face lightened up, and despite the sadness and the tears welling in her eyes, she looked happy. There appeared to be a sense of relief at not having heard something from Lara that she had clearly seemed to be dreading. "I see…it was the only way…" She forced a smile, "the only way for James to go…"

That marked the end of Lara's journey to Mrs Whitman's, as they embraced in another long hug before parting ways, a different path laying ahead for each of them. Fate sometimes had a cruel streak. Mrs Whitman had loved and lost. Give a person what they wanted, and you might just take away the thing they truly deserved. The cold truth would break a loving heart, while the good intentioned lie would restore hope to a grieving soul.

Mrs Whitman deserved her James back. It was the least Lara could do to return him to her.

_Everyone deserves a ray of light when shrouded by the darkness of grief…_


	3. Chapter 3: The Grace of Brotherly Love

**In Search for Kindred Spirit**

Chapter 3: The Grace of Brotherly Love _- Part 1_

Lara reclined her seat, trying to make herself comfortable as she sat waiting patiently in the car. She was parked by the roadside opposite a moderate house in the quiet, middle class suburb. Tall umbrella trees lined and shaded the street from the bright sunlight in this beautiful day.

The aforementioned house was for now unattended, with its inhabitants currently away. Lara had pressed the doorbell a few times earlier, and when no one had answered, she had decided to stay and wait for their return. In this moment of quietness, the reflection of recent events came naturally.

She had visited Roth's family, as well as Whitman's widow. Grim had never been married and was not survived by any known relatives.

_So that just leaves Alex…_

Alex…another person who had made his feelings known too little too late…Lara remembered the pleasant surprise mixed with grave concern that had set in when she had found and read Alex's journal by the beach bunker…a journal that all but confessed his admiration and crush on Lara herself. She remembered her joy and relief when she had heard Alex's voice at the basement of the Endurance shipwreck, and her panic when she had finally realised that she could not free him from the debris. The anguish of seeing Alex put on a brave face to mask the obvious fear hiding beneath it…the pain at seeing him resigning to his fate…the sad smile on his face when she had kissed him for the first and last time…her scream following the explosion…and her tears when the dread realisation dawned upon her that Alex was finally gone along with the shipwreck deep into the sea…

Lara's thoughts were disrupted when she saw an SUV approach and turn into the house's garage. Out stepped a man in his 30s and an aging couple who appeared to be the man's parents. They carried a few bags out of the car and into the house. As the man was about to step through the front door, he turned around and spotted Lara. He then held his stare for a while, seemingly uncertain, before retreating inside.

Lara took a deep breath, trying to summon her courage. She put her face in her now sweaty palms and leaned on the steering wheel. Occasions like this never failed to agitate her. She had never met Alex's family before. How would they react when they saw her? How would they take to the news of Alex's death? Or perhaps they already knew? After all, the Endurance shipwreck had already been discovered, with Alex's body beneath it…

A sudden knock on her window startled her as she looked up quickly. It was the man she had seen earlier. Lara quickly rolled down her window.

"Are you Lara?" The man asked with a deep voice.

Lara swallowed and nodded, slightly surprised.

"You're here about Alex?" He questioned again.

"Yes," Lara replied, "I'm his friend and colleague."

The man's face visibly darkened, although it showed more sorrow rather than anger. He hesitated, before offering a hand shake, "Nathan. I'm his brother."

Lara shook his hand through the window, before stepping out of the car.

Nathan looked around. He then gestured for Lara to follow him. "Come this way. I know a park just down the road where we could sit and talk."

Lara duly obliged as they began walking towards the park, with Nathan a few steps ahead of her. The man was taller than Alex, and more muscularly built. He sported a crew cut hair, with his square face framed by a rugged stubble. He was dressed casually in a long sleeve T-shirt and a pair of jeans. It was obvious that Nathan was quite different from his brother, but beneath it all they still had a brotherly similarity. Perhaps it was their eyes…

"So…" Lara broke the silence, "how did you know my name?"

"Hmm…?" Nathan turned back, "Alex used to send me your pictures."

Lara couldn't help but feel a little uneasy at that. They didn't speak again until they reached the park Nathan had mentioned. It was a fairly sized recreational area, with children's swings, neat walkways, and a pretty fountain in the middle. They soon found a bench and sat down next to each other. On the far side, Lara could see a few couples and families walking their children and dogs. It was quite a tranquil place.

"I suppose you have something you want to tell me?" Nathan asked, leaning back on the chair and crossing his arms, with his eyes staring into the distance.

Lara inhaled deeply. It didn't seem like she would ever get used to this, but circumstances dictated that she must. She felt responsible, almost an obligation to try her best to ease the sufferings of those still grieving from recent tragedies.

_Here goes…_

And so she told the man what had transpired in the Endurance's ill-fated expedition. How they had searched for Yamatai to no avail…how they had then decided…how she had then_ insisted_ that they sail into the Dragon's Triangle…how their ship had been wrecked by the storm…how they had been stranded on the island…how they had then realised that they were not alone…how they had been hunted by the island's savages…and finally…how Alex had sacrificed himself to help the survivors and let Lara escape…

Lara decided to omit the supernatural elements, as well as Alex's romantic crush. While she explained, Nathan simple just gazed ahead, betraying no emotion or surprise to her recap of their ordeal on the island. It was a long and awkward silence once Lara had finished her story.

After a lengthy break, Nathan finally spoke with a soft voice, "That stupid boy…"

Lara remained quiet, as the man continued. "What was he thinking?" He said, "What did he think it was? Some kind of god damn action movie?"

"I'm really sorry…" It was the only thing Lara could say; having already lost count herself on how many times she had to say the same thing in the past few days.

"No…" Nathan sighed, "Not your fault…Alex was a big boy…he should take responsibility for himself and know his own limits."

"Still-" Lara began before she was interrupted.

"You know, when he told me you guys were heading into the Dragon's Triangle, I feared the worst…" Nathan continued, "I mean I didn't know what it was, but then Alex explained to me that it was like the Asian version of the Bermuda Triangle…I mean…who goes to places like that?"

Lara felt a lump form in her throat, choking her as her guilt once again resurfaced. It was, after all, upon her suggestion that the Endurance headed into dangerous waters. She was about to apologise again when Nathan spoke.

"You know…Alex used to tell me…" He began, "…that anyone who'd worked with you before would fall a little in love with you...at least that's what he believed…I think he must've done what he did to impress you…"

Lara could feel her cheeks burn, but at the same time, the guilt sticking in her heart hurt even more.

"I…I would've welcomed his approach…had I known his feelings earlier…" Lara confessed, although in truth it was unclear even to herself whether she truly believed it, or had simply said it to comfort a man who was still in pain over the death of his brother.

"It doesn't matter now does it?" Nathan said, his usual deep voice softened by a melancholy, "Grief is all the more sorrowful when you're left with regrets. Alex probably ought to have revealed his feelings before it was too late, the same way I should've told him how much I loved my little brother before he was taken away forever."

Lara listened as the man choked, his eyes by now red and watery.

"I never told him that…you know…that I loved him…" He continued with a throaty voice, "I just never thought brothers do that kind of stuff…It all seemed too mushy…but now…now how I wish I had one more chance…just one more chance to tell him that he would always be my beloved, dear little brother…that our family loved him…and that we were all proud of him…"

As the hard looking man sobbed and wept openly, Lara could feel her own tears forming and rolling down her cheeks. She moved closer to the man and wrapped her arms around him. Nathan had by now curled up and descended into a crying wreck.

Time seemed to freeze as they sat there, together, united in their mourning of a friend and a brother's passing, and suddenly, being physically so close to a stranger no longer felt awkward. Through Alex, they shared an emotional connection. And as the sun began to set, with its melancholic faint light basking the world, the curtain closed on yet another chapter of Lara's journey.

She and Nathan parted before nightfall. He had insisted that Lara not meet with his parents, as he believed they were simply not yet ready to learn the close details of Alex's demise. They had been devastated by the discovery of Endurance's shipwreck, and their son's body within it. After all, no parents should live to see the death of their children. It would be selfish to still want to meet Alex's parents after this. The bigger part was to realise the simple truth…

_You just can't force the healing of wounds and make everyone happy…_

Grief would take its time. Parents should be left to mourn. It would come to pass when Alex's parents would be ready, and Nathan would tell them the truth of what had really happened on that island. But for now, this was as far as Lara could go, and it would have to suffice…

Before parting ways, Lara requested, as a favour, that Nathan send to her all her photos that Alex had previously taken. Nathan duly obliged. And as Lara sat in her car, looking at them on her phone, her lips curved into a soft smile as she gazed at a particular photo of her and Alex.

It had been taken on a night aboard the Endurance. The crew were having a night off and there was a party on the deck. Lara herself had had too much to drink and was obviously quite drunk. The picture showed Lara, with her eyes closed and her cheeks rosy pink, kissing Alex's face. He had a cheeky smile and a blissful look in his eyes.

_Your memory shall live on with me…forever…_

* * *

The Grace of Brotherly Love_ - Part 2_

Beneath the bright cerulean sky, a man dressed in a red sleeveless shirt and short brown pants sat by the white sandy beach leaning against a coconut tree, his hulking frame shaded from the brilliant sunlight as he bathed in the warm wind gently blowing from the sea.

He was alone…almost. The closest people were at least a few hundred metres away. He could faintly see those families, friends and couples playing at the shallow tide and the happy noises they made as they enjoyed their day out in the sun. Several yachts were sailing in the distant water, their white sails flying gracefully with the wind. Not far away beyond that were numerous green islands seemingly floating atop the blue ocean, a perfect place for tourists who loved island hopping.

Jonah took a sip from his coconut. After being rescued from Yamatai, he had decided to return to Hawaii to stay with his grandmother and his sister, whom had just recently relocated from New Zealand to open her new Café on this tropical paradise. Jonah now worked for her as he had used to before Roth had hired him to cook for the Endurance.

The Endurance…it seemed like a dear family that had been lost to the ocean. Jonah still kept in touch with Reyes, Lara and Sam. From what he had gathered, they were all doing alright. Either that or they just weren't telling him the truth. No matter…Reyes and Lara were both strong, resilient characters and should pull through. Sam was the most child-like, but Lara was always there to look after her…

Almost like a sister…a sibling like how Jonah's own brother had been to him…

The bond he had shared with his brother was a strong one. He remembered the little things his brother used to do for him, the little sacrifices he used to take to make Jonah happy. He remembered how during lunch at school his brother used to always give Jonah all his tasty food, food that Jonah loved like salted meat and potatoes and fish, in exchange for Jonah's bland portions like the beansprouts and bitter gourds and tofu. His brother had always told Jonah that he hated those supposedly tasty foods and instead loved those supposedly bland ones, and always with a smile on his face as he said so. Little Jonah never realised his brother was lying until he had grown up.

He also remembered how his brother used to give all the best toys to Jonah, while only reserving the lesser ones for himself. He remembered how his brother had single-handedly fought off a whole gang who had been bullying Jonah, how his brother never gave up, and how he had persevered despite sustaining some bad injuries in the fight. He remembered how his brother had taught him to swim and to overcome his initial fear of the water, and how he had encouraged him to embrace the warmth of sea and open his eyes to the wonders within.

Life with his brother had been happy, and despite the circumstances that they had lived in, Jonah had always felt at peace with his brother at his side…

However, all that bliss had been taken away on that fateful day…With his eyes gazing into the distance, Jonah recalled what had happened that day…

It was more than twenty years ago now. At the time, Jonah and his brother were living together with their father, whom had just been divorced by their mother, whom in turn had taken their sister to live with their grandmother. Their father was a fisherman, and that year the catch had been particularly poor. It made for a grave financial struggle, and their father's addiction to alcohol and gambling carried the situation from bad to worse. Their father was not a particularly big man. In fact, he was quite gaunt with long unkempt hair and rugged beard. But he was tall, and very intimidating with a frightening stare. When he earned some money, he drank and gambled them away. That was still alright and certainly much more preferable to when the catch was poor. Then he would become abusive, often beating Jonah and his brother with canes for no reason and sometimes even threatening them with knives. At times like this, his brother would hide Jonah under their bed and regaled him with stories of the beautiful sea goddess Pania.

Then one day came, when their father returned home from the sea with no catch. He followed this up by going to an underground casino, where he gambled away and lost all his savings. That night, he came home heavily intoxicated and with a crazed look in his eyes. Something was amiss even for their violent father and Jonah's brother seemed to have sensed it, for he hid Jonah away in the closet even as their father started swearing madly and cursing all the ills that had befallen him.

What happened afterwards was a haunting blur. From behind the closet door, Jonah could hear struggles and screams coming from his brother on the outside. Glasses were broken. Tables and chairs were hauled to the ground. Eventually all fell silent, and soon later, Jonah could hear heavy footsteps approaching, creaking the wooden floor as they did. The closet door was suddenly yanked open, revealing his father. There was a murderous glare in his eyes. He bared his teeth, and forcefully wrapped his steely fingers around Jonah's neck, closing ever tighter like a vine as Jonah lost his breath and started to choke.

It was then that a blade was suddenly stuck through his father's neck. The deathly grip around Jonah's neck loosened as his father's body slipped to the ground, motionless thereafter apart from the fresh blood gushing from his neck. Jonah looked up and saw his brother standing there, a knife in his hand, a sad smile on his face, and a fatal stab wound on his chest…

His brother then collapsed to the floor, having made the ultimate sacrifice…and despite Jonah's cries and pleas that night…his brother never woke up again…

The squawks of the flying seagulls brought Jonah back to the present. He took a deep breath and sighed, trying to shake off his thoughts. He then lifted his coconut over his head and poured the rest of its juice down his face. It felt cool on his skin and particularly refreshing on this warm sunny day.

The truth was…his brother had never left him…Jonah realised this now…

If Yamatai had taught him anything, it was that things that were supposed to be supernatural could very well be real. Jonah had always believed that his uncanny ability to sense danger, first during his stint with the New Zealand military, and later during the many expeditions of Endurance including Yamatai, was simply due to a keen sense and awareness developed by his very own experience. But now…he was convinced that it had been much, much more than that…

_You never left…you have always been there watching me…protecting me…_

A smile formed on his face, as his vision blurred with tears beginning to form in his eyes. His brother had never left. He had continued to live on, both in spirit and in Jonah's memory, guiding him…shielding him from harm…as he always had…

Jonah wiped his eyes. He stood up, elated and at peace. With the sun radiating its rays of hope, the wind gently caressing, and the sea calling, Jonah ran across the beach, joyfully laughing, and dived into the ocean.

He swam towards the horizon…towards the future…no longer afraid…and no longer alone…for the grace of a brotherly love would forever live on…

_Brother…let us swim again together…once more…_


	4. Chapter 4: A Promise for Better Things

**In Search for Kindred Spirit**

Final Chapter: A Promise for Better Things _– Part 1_

_The little girl sat on the stairs, arms crossed and legs drawn up to her chest, watching as the two men below loaded some packages and equipment onto the SUV parked just outside the front door._

"_Are you sure about this, Dicky?" One man asked the other. _

"_No, I'm not," The little girl's father replied, "But what I do know, is that I need answers. I need to understand, and this is the only way."_

"_Amelia is dead," The other man said, putting his hand on his friend's shoulder, "You should let her go…Lara needs you…she's only nine for crying out loud."_

"_Which is why I need you here, in London," Her father sounded determined, "I need you to keep an eye on her while I'm away."_

"_Think twice my friend," The other man pleaded, "I beg you! That place is cursed and you know it!"_

"_A cursed place hides many secrets, Roth. I know this." Her father sighed. He then continued to explain, "And you and I both know Amelia. She was a fine pilot. I refuse to believe she could crash on such a fine weather. There was a foul force at work, lurking somewhere beneath those mountains. It wanted Amelia's cargo. It was calling for it. It was calling for the sword."_

"_The sword of Excalibur…" The other man muttered…_

_This was followed by an extended pause, as both men fell silent. The little girl had little idea what they were talking about. All she knew was that she had lost her mother, and now she was about to lose her father too. Her heart was thumping. Her palms were sweaty. She wanted to cry, but she held back. _

"_I have now gathered three shards of the broken sword…" Her father broke the silence, "The fourth and final shard still lies with Amelia in the mountains. I need to find them. It is the only way I will ever understand."_

"_Dicky…we searched that place clean three years ago and never found her. What makes you think it will be any different this time?"_

"_Because last time, we didn't have the other shards, and now, I have all the remaining ones." Her father explained with a grave tone, "They will lead me to her. I can feel it. They will want to be found."_

"_You are playing with supernatural forces," The other man shook his head, seemingly resigning to his friend's decision, "and as your friend, I can only hope you know what you're doing."_

_The little girl watched as her father finally turned to her and slowly walked up the stairs. Each step he took brought a heavy ache to the girl's young soul. She knew what was coming, and she was afraid. She wished it would not happen, yet it was inevitable._

_When her father was at her side, he knelt down so that he was face to face with her. "Lara, Daddy will be gone for a while. Be good and listen to Uncle Roth, okay?"_

_The little girl bit her lip, shivering. She fought fiercely to hold back her tears._

_Her father gave her a kiss on her forehead, "Daddy loves you, Lara."_

_At this, the girl stood up and angrily pushed her father away. "YOU LIAR!" She yelled, "Why do you have to go?! Why do you have to leave?!"_

_Her father was stunned silent. With mouth ajar, he tried to say something before the little girl interrupted him._

"_I hate you! I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you!"_

_The girl turned and stormed up the stairs to her bedroom and quickly locked the door, sobbing as she did so. She could no longer hold back her tears. _

_Those were the last words she spoke to her father. She never saw him again, for he never returned from his trip…_

Lara slowly opened her eyelids, staring at the ceiling through her wet eyes as she lay on her bed. The room was dark except for some faint light coming through the window from the streets outside. She made no effort to dry her tears. It had become an all-too-common occurrence these days. The same dream that had haunted her past now kept coming back almost every night.

She sat up, casting her eyes on the figure sharing her bed. Sam appeared to be sleeping, her chest heaving gently as she breathed.

Yamatai had left a scar on both of them…a scar difficult to heal even after all the physical ailments had subsided. Since then, they had mutually decided to sleep together, in the hope that at least sharing the same bed and each other's warmth could bring some sense of comfort back to their aching souls.

Lara took care not to disturb her companion, as she stood up and got off the bed. She went and sat down at her study table by the window. As she gazed at the silvery moon hanging in the far away sky, her hand absent-mindedly reached for the jade she was wearing on her neck. She softly caressed the piece of jewellery with her fingers, feeling the two words engraved on the gem stone as she did so. She found herself taken by a sense of melancholy as those two words soon brought back memories of a distant past…

It was not long ago that Roth used to take her on hiking trips. And during these trips, he would often attempt to regale her with stories of her parents. Lara used to hate these stories, and only tolerated them because she liked being with Roth otherwise. She never really used to pay much attention, but now she wished she had.

When her mother died in the plane crash, she had grieved terribly, but growing up she had thought of it as nothing more than an accident. She had never believed her father's absurd claims that something else had killed her mother. Despite Roth's effort to convince her otherwise, she had remained cynical, and had gone through her formal years thinking of her father as an obsessed lunatic who had abandoned his daughter in search for his deceased wife simply because he couldn't handle the truth…

She had grown up resenting her father. What initially started as a desire to follow her parents' footsteps into archaeology, later turned into a compulsory need to prove his father wrong as Lara fiercely pursued an interest in ancient history and artefacts to ascertain that they were just that, history and artefacts, and nothing more…

But if Yamatai had taught her anything…It was that things that appeared to be supernatural could very well be real…

The island had scarred her…but it had also given her a harsh, yet valuable lesson…

A lesson that now compelled her to evaluate the truth behind her parents' disappearance…for otherwise she could never forgive herself for those last words that she had said to her father…

"Same dream again?" A voice interrupted Lara's thoughts.

She turned around and noticed that Sam had sat up.

"Yes," Lara nodded, "Sorry, did I wake you up?"

"I wasn't sleeping," Sam shrugged, as she wrapped the blanket around her shoulder, "Heard you mumbling in your sleep. Want to talk about it?"

Lara sighed. She climbed back onto the bed and snuggled in with Sam, sharing the same blanket. "It was the same as always."

"Sweetie, I know I've said this before, but you need to relax and take things easy," Her companion replied, as she put her hand on Lara's, "What happened back then wasn't your fault. You didn't know."

"I know, but still…" Lara trailed off…

"You're flying to Nepal tomorrow morning," Sam cut her off, "you need a good night's rest, so don't think too much about it."

"I don't know what I'm going to find there, Sam." Lara sighed, slightly apprehensive as she once again began to analyse, "According to Roth, my parents were searching for the four broken shards of an ancient sword. My mother found one in Tibet, and she was flying over the Himalayas to meet up with my father in India when her plane crashed. My father and Roth both searched hard but never found her body or the shard, only the plane itself."

"I know," Sam made a face, "You have told me the same story many times."

Lara looked at her friend, chuckling softly, "Sorry Sam, I won't bore you again with the details."

"It's okay, I was just teasing," Sam returned a smile, "If it makes you feel any better, then please carry on. I want to hear it."

Lara slumped her shoulder, "Alright…I…I suppose I'm a bit scared…" She took a pause, glancing at her friend who was listening attentively, before she continued, "Roth mentioned that when he and my father were searching for my mother, they encountered some…supernatural…and haunting phenomena in the mountains…I used to dismiss it as myths but now…"

"Lara," Sam took both Lara's hands, "If you're scared, then don't go. You don't have to do this."

Lara forced a smile, "Thanks Sam, but I must. If it were your father, you'd do it too."

"Hah!" Sam rolled her eyes and slumped back onto the bed, "Who cares about him? I don't think I'd even notice."

"Sam…" Lara pleaded, putting her hand on her friend's shoulder, "He is your father…."

"Yeah, so?" Sam snorted, "I don't think he even thinks I'm his daughter."

Lara sat there watching her companion, whom by now was breathing a little rapidly. She had a scowl on her face, but beneath it, Lara could also see sadness and disappointment. "I'm sure things will get better if you talk to him and let him know how you feel."

"You think? Okay then, let me think about it!" The sarcasm in Sam's tone was obvious. "Why the change of topic anyway? I thought we were talking about your dream?"

"They're not unrelated, Sam," Lara leaned closer to her friend, and as she did so, her fingers began to gently brushed Sam's raven hair, soothing her, "I don't want to see you follow my footsteps. I don't want you to leave it too late to sort things out between you and your father. I don't want you to have any regrets, as I do now."

"Well I went to Tokyo, didn't I? I survived that crazy island to go back home, only to find that my father actually didn't have time for his daughter!" Sam continued to sound forceful, although Lara could notice a thin veil of angry tears behind her eyes, "He couldn't find time to even spend an evening with me, not even when I made the effort to cook dinner myself. He was always absent, always tending to his business. I left without saying goodbye, and he never even called! To him, I'm just invisible. Obviously he has better things to do than care for his daughter!"

"You know…" Lara spoke softly, as she continued to caress her companion's hair, "I used to think the same about my father."

"Lara, it is not the same."

Lara lay down on the bed and pulled the blanket over. She wrapped her arm around her childlike companion and snuggled close, chuckling as she did so, "Give him a call, Sam, and tell him you love him. You might be surprised."

"Hmph! I doubt it!" There was a playful tone in Sam's voice, as she pulled Lara's arm tighter over her body. The anger seemed to have left her as she embraced Lara's physical warmth.

Lara took solace in knowing that, as both girls decided to go back to sleep.

It wasn't long before Lara began to hear a soft snore coming from Sam. Lara herself though, found it very difficult to sleep again, and she remained awake throughout the rest of the night.

As she listened to her companion's gentle breaths, she found herself at ease with the degree of comfort they had in each other. It was certainly something she cherished, as even best friends usually couldn't get so comfortable with each other's physical touch. It was clear that Lara and Sam shared something else…something more…and their experience in Yamatai had only pulled them even closer.

Lara found herself smiling as she tried to think of a word that could best describe their relationship…

_Soulmate…_

Yes…That would be the most appropriate word…

They had been more than just best friends for many, many years. Sam often liked to refer to herself as the Yang to Lara's Ying. That always amused Lara, although she was quite sure Sam didn't even understand the exact meaning of Ying and Yang herself. What was true though, was that throughout the years Sam had always provided unconditional support and encouragement for Lara. And for that, Lara would forever remain grateful.

She remembered how Sam always tried to cheer her up with various mischiefs whenever Lara felt too stressed out by her study or work. She remembered Sam's patience when Lara had asked her to practice spoken Japanese together. And she remembered how Sam was always filming footage of her on the Endurance because she wanted to help Lara get the credit she deserved when their work got published.

For her part, Sam had always been an appreciative person too. There was this one time when Sam had told Lara that she wanted to study film making. Apparently her choice hadn't been too well received then, especially by her own father, despite him being in entertainment industry himself. Lara, of course, tried her best to encourage Sam with her kind words, and bought Sam a new video camera to cheer her up. Sam had been overjoyed, despite the video camera being a modest model at best. Sam being Sam though, was also quite prone to exaggeration. She often talked of how Lara's gift had helped her make a life changing decision. Lara was just happy that she liked it.

Then there was this other time when Sam had baked Lara a cake for her birthday. It was the first time Sam had ever done any cooking in the kitchen. Lara was quite thankful for her effort, even though the cake tasted a bit funny. Lara remembered vomiting once or twice after eating the cake, and feeling terribly guilty about it. Sam though, was even more apologetic and spent that whole night crying and saying sorry. To be fair, Sam had worked very hard and improved her kitchen skills a lot since.

Then there was Yamatai…ever since their escape, there had been hardly a day spent when Sam didn't lose her usual playfulness and, in the most serious tone that could be expected of Sam, thank Lara for rescuing her from the cultists on the island.

All these trains of thoughts made it ever so hard for Lara to bear when the night finally passed and the sun rose to signal the coming of the following day.

Lara got off the bed as lightly as she could, and went about her morning routine. She changed her clothes and packed away the few last items into her luggage, all the while trying her best not to wake her companion.

Fortunately, Sam was quite a heavy sleeper. As Lara finished her preparation, she gazed at her companion still snuggling up on the bed. A sense of longing made its way into Lara's heart, as she found it hard to leave her best friend behind. She knew she would miss her terribly, and worry sick about her, and she had to fight against the urge to wake her up and tell her these, because she knew if Sam was awake, then saying goodbye would be even more difficult.

In the end, Lara must do what she had to do. She took a piece of paper and scribbled some words on it. She then left the note on the study desk, hoping that Sam would at least find some comfort in a short, written goodbye.

Lara then left, closing the door behind her. And as she made her trip to the airport, she frequently found herself having to dab away the tears forming in her eyes.

_Sometimes…it is only when you part ways that you realise just how important a person is to you…and how much they mean…_

* * *

Final Chapter: A Promise for Better Things _– Part 2_

It was late morning before Sam woke up. With her eyelids still feeling heavy, and her mind muddled, she fumbled around in the bed, yearning for Lara's warmth and trying to grab onto her. It was only then she realised that her best friend had gone and the bed was now empty.

She forced her eyes open and sat up. A sudden sense of emptiness made its way into her heart as she looked around the quiet room.

"Lara?" She found herself calling aloud. Sam knew that Lara had left, but she still couldn't help but feel disappointed when no one answered.

As she got off the bed, she noticed a piece of paper on the study desk. It appeared to be a note that Lara had left her. Sam sat down on the chair and began to read it.

It was probably Lara's idea of a short note, but in truth it read like a huge essay. The whole page was covered with neatly written words. Most of them were really just overly detailed instructions on trivial stuff such as when to take out the rubbish bin, where the new washing detergents and toiletries were stored, when to pay the bills and so on and so forth, but the last part caught Sam's attention.

_Sam, I will be gone for a while. I'm not sure when I will return, so please take care of yourself. I will call you once I've reached Nepal. Until then, if you run into any difficulties or have any queries, simply refer to the notes above and you should be fine. Also, promise me you will call your father. I don't want you to make the same mistake I did. Don't leave anything to chance. Do your part and leave no regrets. If you're facing any obstacles, remember, the key to everything is knowing that all you've got to do is just keep moving. _

_Keep in touch,_

_Lara_

Sam shook her head, smiling as she did so. Lara probably thought she was providing some sort of wise advice before leaving, but sometimes she could be so poor at words that even her written note sounded a bit awkward. It was actually quite funny, because Lara's tendency to nag on and on about the most boring stuff often made her feel more like a mum than a friend, even though she was actually a year younger than Sam herself.

Regardless, Lara's parting advice had somehow worked, because it was now lingering in Sam's mind. She glanced at the cordless phone sitting at the corner of the desk. It suddenly looked like such a heavy object, as Sam began an internal struggle whether or not to pick it up.

Should she heed her best friend's plead and call her father? Should she try to make things right with a man who never cared? Should she try it again, despite previous efforts that always ended up in failure? Should she even care anymore? Did she even want to reconcile with a man whom she had grown to resent?

Yet despite all that had happened and everything that had been said, it was the will of an earnest daughter that triumphed. Sam found herself feeling a little surprised, as her hand glided over the desk to pick up the phone and dialled the number back home…the number to her father…

Her heart started to palpitate and her chest tightened as she listened to the dial tone. What would she say? How would her father react?

She didn't have time to think however, as the call was soon picked up by someone.

"…Dad?" Sam found her voice trembling.

There was no answer from the other end.

"…Hello?" Sam tried again.

"What is it?"

The stern voice from her father startled her, and instantaneously, whatever that was left of Sam's courage evaporated with it. A familiar trepidation soon grabbed her as she found herself lost for words.

"Hurry up. I am in a meeting."

Sam swallowed an audible gulp. She could feel droplets of sweat forming on her forehead, and her neck, and her chest. And she hated herself for it…She hated herself for being so easily intimidated…But still…above all else, she felt sad…sad that she could never feel comfortable in the presence of someone who was supposed to be her closest family…

"…I…I…" Sam stuttered. She bit her lips. Like Lara had said, she owed it to herself to leave no regrets. She must try her best, and be brave, "…I just wanted you to know…that I'm sorry…I'm sorry for never listening to you and your teachings…I'm sorry for always spending your money…I'm sorry for being an embarrassment to our family…"

There was only silence from the other end.

Sam found herself choking, as a lump began to form in her throat. Her voice was unsteady, but she continued, "…But most of all…I'm sorry mum died the day I was born…I wish I could somehow bring her back with my own life…but I can't…and I'm sorry…I'm sorry I disappointed you…I'm sorry I'm not the daughter you wanted…"

Still nothing from her father…

Sam could now feel the hot tears streaming down her cheeks. Her vision had now blurred. "…I really just wanted you to know…that you're my dad…and I love you…and I'm sorry I haven't done enough for you to love me back…"

Her lips quivered, and she forcibly wiped away the tears with her sleeve. Her heart sank when there was still nothing coming from her father. Sam felt she had done all she could, and if it still wasn't enough, then perhaps it just wasn't meant to be. She took a deep breath. A sad smile formed on her face, as she found herself resigning to yet another failure…

"…Goodbye…" She was about to hang up when her father interrupted.

"Wait, Sam."

Sam froze on the spot. Her eyes widened a little, "Yes…Dad?"

"It was not your fault. The fault…was mine…"

The tears that had been dried earlier now threatened to flood again, as Sam listened attentively. It was the first time ever that her father had acknowledged any responsibility on his part for their frosty relationship.

"…I am sorry, Sam. I have not been a good father. The truth is, you reminded me so much of your mother…and as you grew older, the resemblance grew even stronger…I cannot look into your eyes without being reminded of how I lost your mother…and the grief I have suffered ever since…but this is not your fault…It is me who have not been strong enough. Forgive me, Sam, you are everything a father could ask of a daughter. I am proud of you, and I love you."

Sam wept openly, as she listened to the longest, most personal talk her father had ever given her. All those years of misunderstanding…of resentment…of anger…and of bitterness…it didn't matter anymore, because she loved her father…and her father loved her…and that was all that mattered at this moment…

"Dad…" She sobbed, "…Can I come to see you again in Tokyo?"

"Of course you can," Her father replied gently, "This is your home…and you can come home anytime you want. I promise this time I will not leave you to eat dinner by yourself again…"

"And I promise I'll cook you a nice meal…" Sam nodded her head. She continued to sob uncontrollably, but the joy was now obvious in her voice. "I won't hold you any longer. You should go back to your meeting."

"…You are right…I should go…Sorry, Sam. When you come back, we will sit down and have a nice talk. I promise you."

"Sure, Dad…" Sam could not remember the last night she said the word "Dad" with such fondness, and this made her really happy, "I'll be seeing you soon."

"Yes, Sam. See you soon."

And with that, they hung up the phone.

Sam took a deep breath, her lips curving upwards into a wide smile. She almost laughed aloud. A heavy stone in her heart had just been lifted. She leaned back onto the chair and arched her back, stretching her arms above her head.

Lara was right…Lara was right all along…as she always was…

Sam then made her way to the kitchen to make herself something to eat. As she sat at the nook chewing her toasts, her eyes wandered around the apartment. It felt very quiet today. The elation that had formed earlier from her reconciliation with her father was suddenly gone, and she once again found herself feeling depressed. There was a sad melancholy in the air, and the same mood was reflected in Sam's heart. There was a void somewhere that could not be filled, a sense of loneliness that had developed much more sooner than Sam had anticipated.

She was already missing her best friend…

As she gulped down her last piece of toast, she began to recall the good times she had shared with Lara. Rather than best friend, Sam would like to think of Lara as more like her soul mate. The truth was, Lara had always provided unconditional support and encouragement for Sam. And for that, Sam would forever remain grateful.

There was this one time back in high school when Sam decided that she wanted to study film making in college. At the time, all her families and friends were indifferent to her choice. Some were even skeptical. But not Lara…Only she spoke kindly…or tried to speak kindly of Sam's decision. It was typical of Lara to be quite poor at words of course, but Sam remembered feeling a little disappointed that even her best friend's words of encouragement were quite bland and clichéd. Sam was really hoping for something more inspiring…something that could help her put away all her doubts. Things became even more frustrating for Sam though. In the month that followed, Lara took up many more extra shifts in her part time jobs, and she just left Sam to ponder about the future by herself. During those nights, Sam would often wait until very late in their apartment for Lara to return so she could ask for some advice, but every time Lara would just come home knackered from her work. She would just slump onto her bed and start dozing off. It got to a stage where Sam started to feel angry and was about to confront her friend, when suddenly one day, Lara came home with a present. Sam remembered bursting into tears when she unwrapped the present to reveal a kick ass video camera inside. She remembered feeling very touched that Lara had made the effort to pick up all those extra shifts to buy her this very special gift. Of course, Lara being Lara, always tried to underplay its importance. But that very same night, Sam made up her mind, once and for all, that she would pursue a career in film making.

Then there was this other time when Lara baked Sam a cake for her birthday. Sam was of course very moved, and not wanting to be outdone, she attempted to bake Lara a cake herself when it came to her best friend's birthday. She remembered seeing the funny look on Lara's face when she first tasted it. She remembered feeling a little insulted. However, upon sampling the cake herself, she realised that her cake had in fact tasted, for a lack of better word, absolutely shit. She remembered Lara gulping down the whole cake as if on a mission to prove it edible and to make Sam feel better. She remembered begging for Lara to stop. That evening, Lara got so sick and vomited so violently, that she had to spend the night in the hospital where they pumped bags of fluid into her body…on her birthday no less. Sam herself spent the night at Lara's bedside, crying her eyes out and apologizing and praying to whatever higher powers there might be to spare her best friend's life.

Lara had always been the introvert to Sam's extrovert. They were like the perfectly matched Ying and Yang. Even Lara herself agreed. Sam could never understand why Lara always thought of herself as some sort of outcast in school and college. Lara might be a bit shy and quiet, but she had the face of a supermodel and a tremendously well-proportioned body. She was every boy's wet dream. Humility might be a virtue, but sometimes Sam felt Lara had taken it a bit too far for her own good.

Lara's modesty wasn't just limited to how she felt about herself. She actually refused to spend a single penny of the vast wealth left behind by her parents. At first, it was because she hated her father and everything associated with him. Then after Yamatai, it was because she felt that she had wronged her father and didn't deserve her inheritance. Henceforth, the only times she spent those money were for charity and when she gave some to Reyes recently.

This was reflected in Lara's modest possessions too. She wore very simple clothes and never indulged in luxuries. She drove a very old Daihatsu hatchback. Nevertheless, she remained fiercely independent. She stayed in Sam's condominium but insisted that she pay the rent. She also used to work multiple jobs to support herself through college and refused Sam's financial help, a resolve that was very much admired by Sam.

And then there was Yamatai. No words could ever express Sam's appreciation of what Lara had done. At times, it overwhelmed her just to think that Lara had braved storms, fire and thunder to save her, not to mention the hordes of burly men she had had to overcome. In truth, Lara did what no other men in this world could've ever done. Her deeds had surpassed every man that Sam had ever known or dated.

And it was because of this gallantry that Sam found herself, for better or worse, increasingly attracted to her best friend. She could not help it, and she would not even dare to think about mentioning it to Lara. She tried to tell herself that it was just a crush born out of gratitude, and that it would eventually fade, but with each passing day, her feeling had only got stronger.

And now that Lara was gone, it suddenly became so clear to her that her feelings had been genuine, because as she reflected on these past events, Sam found herself missing Lara terribly. They had never been separated for more than a week since they became best friends many, many years ago. Knowing that Lara would be gone for possibly months was painful to bear. Lara always had a special place in her heart. Sam realised that now, because Lara's absence had created a numbing void that could not be filled.

Sam stood up from her chair. She once again picked up the phone and this time, she dialled Lara's number, hoping to catch her before she left for overseas.

Her heart sank when it went straight to voice mail.

Sam then tried ringing again, and again the same thing happened.

She then put down the phone. She began to feel a tingling in her spine. Lara was right. Lara had always been right. She should not leave anything to chance. She should not leave herself vulnerable to regrets. Love was a powerful word. It was that one word that shattered her frosty relationship with her father and opened the door to reconciliation. And yet, after all that had happened, all that had been said, and all that she had felt, the biggest regret would be if she had never told Lara that beyond gratitude, beyond friendship, beyond everything else, she loved her best friend the most, more than anything else in this world.

_Lara has to know this…she needs to know this…_

That was what Sam told herself. Lara must know. The endurance was the closest thing to a family that Lara had, and she probably thought that she had lost her family and home with the ship's sinking. But that was not true. It was not true at all and Sam must let Lara know, and she must do it before her best friend embarked on her dangerous journey. Sam must let Lara know that she still had someone to call a family, and a place to call home.

_I will be your family…I will give you the home you need…_

With those thoughts in mind, Sam dialled Lara's number one more time.

And once again, it went to voice mail.

_Damn it…_

There was only one option left. Sam looked at the clock. She didn't have much time left.

Sam then hastily took her car keys and raced downstairs to the car park. She cringed slightly as she jumped into the expensive Porsche she had recently bought to spite her father. It was a good thing that she did though, because speed was what she needed right now.

"Let's hope you're as fast as they say you are," Sam spoke as she turned her keys at the ignition.

The engine roared into life.

* * *

Final Chapter: A Promise for Better Things _– Part 3_

Lara looked at her watch, then at the departure screen. An announcement had just been made. It was time for her to board the flight. She stood up from her chair, put away the magazine she had bought due to her phone's flat battery, and picked up her hand luggage, consisting of only a single back pack. She swung it over her shoulder and headed towards the boarding counter to join the queue.

The trip would be a long and arduous journey, and not just the flight. What awaited her at the Himalaya mountain range was still an unsolved and, in all likelihood, a very dangerous mystery. Nevertheless, she knew what must be done. There would be no turning back now.

She stopped in her track when suddenly an all-too-familiar voice called out at her. A familiar voice that sounded painfully sweet and welcoming to her ears…

"Lara! Lara stop! Wait!"

Lara turned her head. She watched, partly astonished, partly amused, as a frantic looking Sam forced herself through large swathes of crowd in the distance not too far away.

It didn't take long for Sam to reach Lara though. Despite huffing and puffing and almost struggling to breathe, she appeared elated and ever so relieved as she quickly pulled Lara into a deep hug, with both her arms wrapping firmly around Lara's neck and back.

"Lara! Oh my god you're still here! I thought I was too late!" Sam blurted. Lara could almost detect a sob in her best friend's voice. She chuckled softly and hugged her back.

"Sam what are you doing here? What's going on?"

Lara then attempted to release the hug and push Sam away. It was then she felt Sam tense up and before she knew it, Lara found herself being pulled back into an even stronger hug by her companion.

"No! No Lara don't let go!" Sam cried, "I don't think I can say what I'm about to say to your face!"

"What?" Taken aback by a pleasant surprise, Lara could feel her own cheek burn in anticipation as a thousand thoughts flashed through her mind about what Sam was going to say.

The world seemed to stop as the two girls stood there embraced in silence. Sam appeared to be hesitating and struggling for words and Lara could almost hear her mumbling to herself.

"What are you saying Sam?" Lara asked, her own voice trembling a little.

"Shit…H-How should I put it…?" Sam muttered, before taking a deep breath, "Alright…here goes…Lara…I'm terrified of losing you."

"You're what?" Lara asked again.

"I'm terrified of losing you." Sam repeated, "This trip of yours…I know it's dangerous. I also know you're capable and strong, but I'm worried. What if you don't come back? That thought scared me…"

"Sam…"

"No Lara…let me finish while I still have the courage…" Sam pleaded, "I listened to your advice…I called my father and told him I loved him, and you were right, Lara. He said I could go back to Tokyo. He said he was sorry and that he would spend more time with me from now onwards. And that made me realise…that there is still one other person in this world…who has stayed by my side…supported me and encouraged me through good times and bad…protected me when I was in danger…saved me when I was kidnapped…and yet…I have never told her how much I love her…"

Lara began to find herself breathing rapidly. Her heart started to race. Her palms grew cold and sweaty and her legs felt weak. Sam's words, though, were like music to her ears, and as she listened to her friend's revelation, nothing else seemed to matter anymore. Suddenly, her world only consisted of herself and Sam. She wrapped her arms ever so firmly around her companion, appreciating her every word.

"Lara…I…I love you…" Sam's voice was soft, but sincere, "God…I don't even know if I deserve to say that word…I've said it before to friends I'd only just met in the pub…friends who never even noticed I'd been gone during Yamatai…I've said it to relatives I see only once or twice a year…hell I've even said it to boyfriends whom I ditch only a week later…"

"It's okay Sam, I-" Lara began before Sam cut her off again.

"And when I said it to you…I don't even know what it means…Love as a friend? As a family? Perhaps something more…?" Sam started to choke, her voice throaty and Lara could feel something wet on her neck where Sam's eyes were, "I'm sorry Lara…I'm sorry I always make a mess of everything…I just want you to know…that you're my favourite person in this world…and I hope we will always be together…"

Lara felt her own eyes watered a little too, as she nodded, "I know, Sam, you're my favourite person in this world too…"

They stood there quietly hugging each other for a while longer. Lara took her time enjoying the peace and warmth of her companion, inhaling the fragrance coming from her hair. She found herself wishing that this moment would never end. Eventually, it had to though, and it was Lara who took Sam's shoulder and pulled her from the embrace.

Lara gazed at her companion, noticing the lovely blush on her face.

It was Sam who spoke first, "So…umm…what happens now…?"

Lara bit her lip, as she suddenly found herself facing a difficult decision. Clearly Sam wanted her to stay, but should she stay in London and embrace her newly elevated relationship with her companion? Or should she proceed as previously planned, travel to the Himalayas to solve the mystery that took both her parents' lives?

Sam seemed to have noticed her hesitation, "Stay, Lara. You don't have to go. You don't have to do this." She repeated the same words she had said the night before, only much more earnest.

Lara stared into her companion's brown eyes, and the sincere hope beneath them. A lump began to form in her throat, as she now realised what her father had gone through all those years ago when he took the decision to leave a young Lara behind and travel half way across the world to find her mother.

All of a sudden, she finally understood the pain her father had had to suffer, as she now found herself facing a similar situation. Should she leave a loved one behind to redeem the memory of another? And as she pondered, her last words to her father resurfaced in her mind…

_I hate you…_

Those were the last words she had said. She had wronged her father…a wrong that could never be righted again…and that was why she needed to understand, to learn of the truth…She knew what must be done…

Lara decided to be honest with Sam. "You know, Sam, a wise man once said to me…that sacrifice is a choice you make…and loss is a choice made for you…up until now, I've only known about loss, but not sacrifice…I'm sorry, but I must do this, because otherwise I would never truly understand the meaning of sacrifice…the same sacrifice that my father had to take when he left me to find my mother…"

Sam took an audible gulp, her brows softened and the sadness evident in her eyes as she listened to Lara.

Lara continued, "All these years, I've resented my father…doubted him like everyone else. I hated him for believing in the supernatural, but now I know he was right…he was right all along and I've wronged him. I've tarnished his memory for being so naïve…That's why I must do this…to find out what happened…to make things right…to redeem myself…and to honour my parents' memories…"

"If that's the case then let me come with you!" Sam blurted, as she took her own boarding pass from her pocket and showed it to Lara, "See? I got the ticket too. I bought it just to get pass the security gate so I could catch you here."

Seeing Sam's sincerity pained Lara's heart even more, but she remained resolute. "No Sam…that wouldn't be fair on you…I don't know what I'm going to find in the Himalayas…"

Sam looked disappointed as she casted her eyes downwards, "I know…I don't want to be a burden to you again…"

Lara took her companion's hands, "It's not that…I just can't bear the thoughts of putting you in danger once more after what happened on Yamatai. If you're here, then at least I know you're safe…"

Sam, however, did not appear convinced and still looked very sad. By then, the airline had made a final announcement calling for all passengers to board the flight. One of the air stewards was also hurriedly gesturing for Lara to go. Time was running out.

"Here," Lara unhooked the jade piece she had been wearing on her neck. She took Sam's hand and put it in her palm, "Take this…I want you to have it."

A smile broke on Sam's face, "You're giving me the piece of jewellery I used to mock?"

Lara cringed, as she remembered how Sam had always commented that the jade looked too old and too unfashionable on Lara's neck, and how Sam was always pressuring Lara to ditch it for something more catchy. Despite this, Lara had never removed it. She had been wearing the same piece since she was very, very young.

"My mother gave it to me when I was four," Lara explained, "That's why I'm always wearing it."

Sam's eyes widened, and she appeared guilt ridden, "I-I'm sorry Lara, I never knew…"

"It's okay, I never told you." Lara smiled, "I hope you find in it the answer you're searching for."

Sam took the jade by both hands and looked closer. For a while there, she appeared confused, until she finally found the two words engraved on the jewellery.

_-Most Beloved-_

Her eyes watered, her brows softened, and her lips quivered. She looked back at Lara through glassy eyes, nodding, "Thank you Lara. It means a lot to me…" She then fastened the necklace and wore the jade on her neck, "I will keep it with me at all times until you come back."

Lara chuckled, "I thought you said it looked old and unfashionable."

"Not anymore," Sam had a cheeky smile on her face, "This thing is never coming off me again."

It was then the air steward once again motioned for Lara to board the plane, and this time it sounded as if his patience was wearing thin.

Sam looked at Lara, "You sure you don't want me to come?"

Lara's heart ached again once more. Parting with a loved one was always difficult, particularly with someone she cherished above all else. But she had to remain resolute, "Yes, Sam. I need you to stay here. I need to know that you're safe."

"Okay…" Sam appeared resigned, "I'll stay then…but be careful out there…promise me you'll come back."

"I promise you, Sam," Lara said, smiling, as she took Sam's hands, "I promise I'll come back."

"Good. I'll hold you to that." Sam nodded.

Lara laughed softly, "When have I ever not fulfilled my promise?"

"You've never," Sam replied, her face suddenly serious, "But this promise is more important than the others…much, much more important…even more so than the one you made me on Yamatai…I don't want to lose you, Lara."

Lara's face turned serious as well, "I know." She then pulled her companion into a deep embrace. "I promise I'll return…and Sam…thanks…for everything…"

As one journey ended, a new one began. Lara parted ways with Sam at the airport, but their spirits would forever remain intertwined. Regardless of the dangers and perils she would have to face in her new journey, Lara now had a new motivation to live through them all, to battle against the odds, to triumph against enemies both mortal and supernatural. Just like Yamatai, she had a reason to survive, except now she knew what the reason was. Then, as now, it had always been about the one person she loved above all else. Lara understood that now.

_She will embark on a new journey…_

_She will redeem herself and right the wrongs of her parents' memories…_

_And one day she will return…_

_She will return to a promise…_

_A promise made to the one she cherishes the most…_

_A promise…for better things to come…_

* * *

End Note:

I would like to thank everyone for reading this, especially those who took time to review. Your words of encouragement make me really happy. The message I tried to convey via this fic was that family and friends are the most important things in life. Despite this fic's insignificance, I would still like to dedicate it to those who have lost their loved ones. The mood in this fic was inspired by a piece of beautiful music called "Reminiscence", from the game "Chrono Cross". Once again, thanks for reading.


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